Safety attachment fob elevators



N0. 622,945. A Patented Apr. Il, |899. u. Fox, 2d. sAFr-:TY ATTACHMENT Fon ELEvATons.

(Application Bled Dec. 8, 1898.)

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/NVENTOH fax za/J s n s persas on. Pum'oLmw.4 WASHINGTON n c No'. 622,945, `Patentd Apr. u, |899.

a. Fox, 2d. SAFETY ATTACHMENT FUR ELEVATURS.

(Application led Dec. 8, 1898.)

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NrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE FOX,`2D, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE F.A RECKHART, OF SAME PLACE.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,945, dated April 11, 1899.

' Application filed December 8, 1898. Serial No. 698,637. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGFOX, 2d, of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Safety Attachment for Elevators, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved safety attachment for ele.-

1o vators which is simple and durable in construction, veryk effective in operation, and arranged to securely brake or lock the elevator-.cage in place in case of accidental breaking of the hoisting-rope or other means employed for raising or lowering the cage.

Theinvention consists of novel features and Y parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

zo A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

2 5 Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement as applied and with parts in section, Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the 3o governor. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of the improvement, and Fig. 6 is a front view of another modified form of the improvement.

The cage A is provided with the usual means 3 5 for raising or lowering it and for stopping or starting the cage, and the cage is also provided on its sides with the usual top guides B and the bottom guides B', which straddle posts O, made of channel-beams set on the 4c top of one another, the sides extendinginward toward the cage, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. The guides B and B' extend to the outer faces of the sides of the channel-beams, and said outer sides may be lubricated, so as to insure .a smooth running of the cage.

At the inside of the channel-beams and between the sides thereof extend cams D, secured on the ends of a shaft D', journaled in 5o suitable bearings attached to the cage A, preferably at the under side thereof, as is plainly indicated in Figs. l and 2. Each of the cams D normally travels freely up and down in the corresponding channel-beamthat is, the cams are moved bodily with the cage A-and the cam-surfaces are normally out of engagement with the inner faces of the sides of the channel-beams, so as not to in any way interfere with the free travel of the cage as long as the latter moves at a normal rate 6o of speed.

In case of an accident the cams D are actuated so as to impinge with their cam-faces lche inner faces of the sides of the channelbeams, and as these sides are not lubricated at their inner faces itis evident that the cams brake the cage on which they are carried and finally bring the cage to a stop. The cams D may 'be' operated manually or automatically, or both. 7o

As shown in the drawings, one of the cams is connected near its end by a rope E with a lever F, fulcrumed on the cage A and under4 the control of the attendant thereof, said lever Y being provided with the usual locking-lever F', engaging a segment F2, for normally holding the lever F in a locked position.

In case the hoisting means for the cage breaks or becomes disarranged or injured then the operator by throwing the lever F in 8o the direction of the arrow a' causes the rope .E to exert a pull on the cam`D andswing the same and the other cam so as to bring their cam-surfaces in frictional contact with the inner faces of the sides of the channel-beams to break the cage and bring the same to a stop.

The automatic device for actuating the cams in the manner described is arranged as follows: On the rope E is attached the lower 9o end of a rope G, extending upwardly on one side of the cage to connect with a drum H,

'on which the rope is adapted to Wind up to pull on the rope E, so as to swing the cams into frictional contact with the sides of the channel-beams. The drum I-I is secured on one end of a shaft H', journaled in a suitable bracket A', attached to the top of the cage, and the other end of the shaft I-I' is provided with aV pinion H2, normally out of mesh with a bevel gear-wheel I', secured on the upper` end of the shaft I2 of a governor I, carried by IOO the bracket A. (See detail construction in Fig. 4:.) The shaft I2 is connected with the weighted levers I3 of the governor, said levers being pivoted on a sleeve I4, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the bracket A' and in which the shaft I2 is mounted to slide vertically, said shaft rotating, however, with the sleeve I4. The lower end of the sleeve is provided with a bevel gear-wheel I5 in mesh with a bevel gear-wheel J', secured on a shaft J, carrying a pulley J 2, on which winds several times a rope K, secured at its upper and lower ends in the top and bottom of the elevatorshaft, suitable devices being at the ends of the rope for keeping it tight in the shaft. As the cage A ascends or descends the pulley J2 is rotated by the'windingand unwinding of the iiXed rope K, and the rotary motion of the drum J2 is transmitted by the shaft J and gear-wheel J' to the gear-wheel I5 and the sleeve I4, which rotates the shaft I2, mounted to slide in said sleeve. y

In case the cage A, for any cause whatever, travels beyond the normal rate of speed then an increased speed is given to the drum J2 and the parts connected therewith, so that the weighted levers Is of the governor Iiy outward to such an extent as to raise the shaft I2 and bring the bevel gear-wheel I in mesh with the pinion H2. When this takes place, the shaft H is rotated, and consequently the rope G is wound up on the drum H, to exert a pullou the rope E and swing the cams D in frictional contact with the sides of the channel-beams to brake and stop the cage, as previously described. Instead of rotating the drum J2 by winding the rope K several times around the drum I may employ the device shown in Fig. 6, in which the rope passes over a pulley J 3 on the shaft J, connected with the governor, as described, said rope also passing under a pulley J 5, journaled in bearings J6,

held on a spring J 7attached to the cage A to give the desired tension to the rope K, to rotate the pulley J 3 and shaft J upon the ascent or descent of the cage A.

Instead of using the hand-lever F for manipulating the cams D, as described, I may employ the construction shown in Fig. 5, in which a shaft D3, carrying cams D2, is provided with segmental worm-wheel L in mesh with a worm L', secured on a vertically-disposed shaft L2, journaled in suitable bearings4 attached to the cage A. The upper end of the shaft L2 carries a bevel-pinion L2 in mesh with a bevel gear-wheel N, secured on a shaft N, carrying a hand-wheel N2 under the control of the operator, so that when the latter turns the hand-wheel a rotary motion is given to the shaft L2 by the gear-Wheel N and pinion L3 to cause the worm-wheel L to rotate the worm-wheel L and the shaft D3 to swing the cams D2in frictional contact with the inner faces of the sides of the channel-beams.

I do not limit myself to the particular means described for carrying the invention into effeet, as it is evident that the construction may be varied without deviating from my inveii# tion.

It will be seen that the device is very simple and durable in construction, is not liable to get out of order, and is always ready and completely under the control of the operator of the cage, and is also in addition controlled by the speed of the cage, so that accidents to human beings traveling in the cage are rendered almost impossible.

If desired, only a single cam may be employed or a plurality of sets of such cams may be used and connected together by suitable means, so that-all the cams move into action as soon as an accident occurs.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secu reA by Letters Patentl. A safety attachment for elevators comprising fixed posts forming guideways for the elevator cage and consisting of channelbeams, cams carried by the cage and arranged to move normally free between the inner faces of the sides of the channel-beams, and means for actuating the cams to cause them to impinge on the sides of said beams, substantially as described.

2. In an elevator, channel-beams adapted to form at the outer faces of the sides guideways for the cageto travel in, and to form at the inner faces of the sides contact-surfaces, and a cam carried by and moving with the cage and arranged to move normally freely between the sides of the channel-beams and to impinge thereon upon actuating the cam to brake the cage and lock it in place on the channel-beams, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an elevator, channel-beams adapted to form at the outer faces of the sides guide ways for the cage to travel in, and to form at the inner faces of the sides contact-surfaces, a cam carried by and moving with the cage and arranged to move normally freely between the sides of the channel-beams and to impinge thereon upon actuating the cam, to brake the cage and lock it in place on the channel-beams, and means under the control of the attendant of the cage, and connected with said cam to aotuate the latter, substantially as shown and described.

4. .A safety attachment for elevators comprising a'cam carried by the elevator-cage, Xed posts forming guideways for the cage and contact-faces for the cam to impinge when actuated, a fixed rope in the elevatorshaft, a governor carried by the cage andacl tuated by the said fixed rope and a connection between the said governor and the cam for actuating the cam when the cage travels at a high rate of speed, substantially as described.

5. In an elevator, channel-beams adapted to form at the outer faces of the sides guideways for the cage to travel in, and to form at the inner faces of the sides contact-surfaces, a cam carried by and moving ,with the cage IOO IIO

and arranged to move normally freely between the sides of the channel-beams and to impinge thereon upony actuating'the cam, to brake the cage and lock it in place on the channel-beams, a fixed rope in the elevatorshaft, a governor carried by the cage and actuated by said fixed rope, and a connection between the said governor and the cam, for actuating the cam when the cage travels at a high rate of speed, substantially asshown and described.

6. Inan elevator, channel-beamsk adapted to form at the outer faces of the sides guideways for the cage to travel in, and to form at the inner faces of the sides contact-surfaces, a cam carried by and moving withv the cage and arranged to move normally freely between the sidesof the channel-beams and to ilnpinge thereon upon actuating the cam, to

.brake the cage and lock it in place on the channel-beams, a fixed rope in the elevatorshaft, a governorearried by the cage and actuated by said fixed rope, a connection be@ tween said governor and the cam, for actuating the cam when the cage travels at a high rate of speed, said means comprising a ilexible connection with the cam a drum for winding up the flexible connection, a shaft carrying said drum, and a pinion on said shaft and adapted to be engaged by a gear-wheel on the governor-shaft, substantially as shown and described.

7. Inan elevator, the combination with the elevator-cage provided with top and bottom guides and fixed posts forming guideways for the cage and consisting of channel-beams, the sides of which extend inward toward the cage,

z the said top and bottom guides extending to 'the outer faces ot' the sidesof the channel- 

